Short: Ducksoup by C. Evans (AGT) Author: C. Evans Uploader: Bill Hoggett (mas supplies easynet co uk) Type: game/text Requires: AGT interpreter (e.g. AGiliTy) Architecture: generic Note: This archive replaces the previously incomplete one uploaded to the Aminet. The files in this archive have been re-packed with tar and gzip as the archive contains a file which lha cannot handle (a .D$$ extension). The unpacking program and a script to execute it have been included also. Thanks to Ben Straub for his feedback and apologies to anyone who has previously dowloaded this game and found they could not run it. Welcome to Ducksoup! A private investigator adventure By C. Evans Game and Text Copyright 1993 ----------------------------- How To Play DUCKSOUP Adventure ----------------------------- COMMANDS AND VOCABULARY: The DUCKSOUP Adventure Game understands a wide variety of commands. However, it has only a limited vocabulary, totaling approximately four hundred words, so it can get confused. If you give it a word that it doesn't understand, it will tell you what word it doesn't know. Try entering your command again using a different word in place of the one the game objected to. Your commands should generally be in the format: <(multiple) noun phrase(s)> Some (hypothetical) examples of valid commands: SWIM IN THE RIVER ATTACK HIM ("HIM" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., pop) GET THE MANUAL (also: TAKE THE MANUAL) READ IT ("IT" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., the MANUAL) GET ALL (will get everything movable at the current location) NORTH SOUTHWEST CLIMB UP THE TREE DRINK THE WATER NE (for NORTHEAST) DROP THE KEY AND THE GLOB ENTER THE CAR LOOK AT THE DOG ASK NEDLY ABOUT THE GATE ASK POP ABOUT THE SYRUP Compound commands can be created by connecting single commands (like those above) with "AND", "THEN" or the punctuation symbols "," or ";" to connect two or more separate commands. However, "end-of-sentence" punctuation symbols like ".", "!" and "?" should not be used. Below are a few examples of valid compound commands: OPEN THE DOOR THEN GO UP THE STAIRS CLIMB THE CHAIN THEN SOUTH, WEST AND NORTH DROP THE MEAT AND THE NOTE THEN OPEN THE DOOR THEN TALK TO FLOOD. If the game understands all of the words in your command, but still seems confused by the command -- then try to say the same thing using fewer words and a simpler sentence. When in doubt, simplify your commands as much as possible. This also saves typing effort. The following is a parital list of valid verbs: Movement Conversation Examination Other -------- ------------ ----------- ----- North Talk Look Eat South Speak Examine Drink West Show Open Mix East Give Close Get Go Ask Push Take Enter Train Pull Drop Climb Tie Remove Up Lock Wear Down Unlock Wait Jump Watch Blow Step Raise Put Hit Snap Pour Pry Shake Twist SPECIAL COMMANDS: The game uses a number of special commands for various "housekeeping" chores. These are all pretty standard for most adventure games, specifically: G Repeats the last input command HELP May (or may not) give you a hint. SCORE Will summarize your progress, so far. INVENTORY Will display a list of the items you are carrying, and those items you are wearing. BRIEF Will cause location descriptions to be brief. VERBOSE Will cause location descriptions to be verbose. LOOK Will give you a full (verbose) description of your current location. LIST EXITS Will list the obvious (visible) exits from your current location. There may be other ways to exit the location -- but they may not be obvious. SAVE GAME Will save the current game status on disk. RESTORE GAME Will restore a previously saved game from disk. SCRIPT Causes output to go to both the screen and a printer (using the LP1 port). UNSCRIPT Causes output to go to the screen (only). QUIT Quits the current game session. Always exit using QUIT -- so the game can erase some temporary data files and save disk space! FUNCTION AND CURSOR KEYS: The function keys have been predefined to stand for several of the most frequently used commands. Similarly, the cursor keys have been predefined to correspond to the appropriate compass directions, i.e., the up arrow is NORTH, the PgDn key is SOUTHEAST, the "-" key is UP, the "+" key is DOWN, the Ins key is ENTER, the Del key is EXIT, and so forth. Hitting the '?' key will display a diagram of the definitions for all of the function and cursor keys if you need a reminder.